Colombia San Ignacio Caturra

What We Love

We're consistently thrilled by the diversity of flavors Colombia offers, with each region presenting its unique expression. Nariño, in particular, is an area we've only begun to delve into, and we're excited to uncover the array of exceptional coffees it has to offer. Among the various samples we've tasted, this Caturra variety from San Ignacio stood out as a highlight from last year's selections. During our cupping sessions, it impressed us with its distinct notes of tangy bing cherry followed by hints of autumn apples, all culminating in a delightfully sweet and velvety milk chocolate finish.

About the Producer

Nariño, situated at the southernmost tip of Colombia and bordering Ecuador, is renowned for its coffee production. Its high altitudes and ample rainfall create an ideal environment for cultivating coffee. However, sourcing coffee from Nariño has historically been challenging due to its turbulent past. In the 1990s and early 2000s, the region faced significant violence from paramilitary groups and drug trafficking, forcing many families to flee for safety. Only in recent years, with peace gradually taking hold in certain areas, have families begun to return to their farms, focusing on producing specialty coffee. This resurgence marks the beginning of actualizing Nariño's full coffee potential.

Despite progress, sourcing coffee from Nariño remains difficult, making it one of Colombia's most challenging regions for consistent coffee production. Farms in Nariño tend to be very small, often only 1-2 acres in size. Additionally, logistical challenges abound, with damaged roads and frequent landslides hindering and delaying transportation throughout the region.

Amid these obstacles, organizations like Toldopamba play a crucial role in connecting smallholder farmers with roasters like Wonderstate. Founded by Angela Patino Findlay and Carlos Burbano, Toldopamba is both a family farm and a local exporting company with a focus on supporting smallholder farmers in the region. Carlos' grandfather, Noe Burbano, had to abandon their farm, Toldopamba, in the 90’s due to violence. However, the family later returned, resuming coffee production with Carlos as the primary visionary and manager. Carlos has since expanded the family farm as well as focusing on assisting smallholder farmers throughout Nariño, providing technical support and facilitating the export of their coffees to sustainability-minded roasters worldwide.

About the Coffee

This past fall, we had the opportunity to spend time with Carlos and Angela in Popayan, where we sampled multiple rounds of coffee from the latest harvest. One standout was a single variety Caturra selection, prized for its distinct sweetness and acidity—qualities inherent to heirloom varieties like Caturra. This microlot of nine bags originates from two farmers, Jhon Santacruz and Jose Paz, both based in the small hamlet community of Tasajera, located immediately north of San Ignacio. Toldopampa has identified this area as a hub for many exceptional coffees with unique flavors produced by talented farmers. The average elevation in San Ignacio is above 2000 meters, making these farms some of the highest in Colombia. Both Don John and Don Jose are new producing partners for Toldopamba, and have only just begun exploring the quality potential of their coffees. 

Both farms employed the traditional washed fermentation method. Coffee cherries are picked at peak ripeness and hand-sorted to remove defects. The coffee is fermented between 12-24 hours and dried very slowly over the course of approximately 3 weeks. This slow and even drying process preserves the flavors of the growing context, which express smooth and sweet chocolate tones, along with tart bing cherry and apple-like acidity.